Lighting fixture



Oct. 30, 1945.

`c. v. BATES LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 3, 1944 Patented Oct. 30, 1945 jxpNlrEo STATES PATE-Nr 4orricr.

LIGHTING FIX'IIURE.V

.Clifford V. Bates, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 3, 1944, .Serial No. :529,243

,2 Claims.

My invention relates `to improvements in lighting fixtures. v

` Oneobject of theinventionis to provide .an improved fixture in which the incandescent lamp may be renewed without `disfigurinyg or tarnishi-ng the polished surface of the reiiector by Contact with the fingers.

. .Another object is to provide a sealed "in unit `of generally improved and simplified construction.

`In the accompanying ,drawing I have illustrated two embodimentsof theiinvention Fig. 1 is arear elevation of one form of lighting misure;

n Fig. 2 is a side view partly ,in section and partly in elevation.'

Fia .31s a View looking through .the open rear I `door etthe cylindrical casing along the longitudinal axis;

"Fie- 4 is YAa side elevation o f the lamp ibase and associated parts;

Fig. 5 `is an end View of the lamp base;

n Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a modification. The lighting fixture illustrated in jFigs. 1-3 of the drawing was designed more particularly for use as a berth iight for a triple-decksleepingcar for troops, although capable of `many other uses. Said iixtures are mounted in pairs against a side wall of a sleeping car, and `preferably are spaced apart one above each of the two windows of a section and in general direct the 'light rays diagonally` downward and somewhat convergingysorne of which rays Vfrom the two vsources intersect `each other.

The lighting fixture 'housing I-II is vshown as #being cylindrical inform with a 'rear-closure or door I I hinged thereto at I2 and `comprising Va mou-nting plate for the fixture. Said plate has slots I3 therein, each enlarged at one end to `permit ready mounting thereof bymeans of screws I3,or other suitable Vfastening devices. An `additional small opening I4 is provided, as well as a larger central opening I5, through which the conductors enter from the lighting circuit. The locking device I6 is provided to hold the door shut, it being understood that said door is mounted in fixed position, as for example, against the vertical side wall of the sleeping car, whereas the container may be swung out from the side wall to give access to the rear thereof. Said base, which is oval in shape, is arranged in a plane at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical container, and tilted somewhat as shown in Fig. 1.

The body may be locked to the base by a screw I1 having a knurled head. The outer end of the container is provided with a flanged cap or retaining ring-,I;8 preferably welded tothe cylindri- ,oal side wal-l. ,It lcar-ries a plurality of `small bolts I9 with nuts 20 `having the form of elongated stri-ps of metal which overlie the rim of the .reflector :21| and hold the same in position. Algasket 252 of suitable gmaterialgsuch as cork, for eX- arnple, engages the rim of `said refiector 'and is engaged by it-he convex glass member `2.3 which has inner intersecting ribs thereon to diffuse the light in 4the conventional manner. This glass panel fis :confined beneath a flange 0r bezel comprising `part of the retaining .ring I8.` Y With this arrangement the xture `comprises :a .sealed in 4.structure at least insofar as the :compartment between -the .glass panel and the reflector :is yconcerned, vthe `highly polished `su-riace of :the :reflector being inaccessible either from the iront VQ1* the rear. y lIn .assembling the fixture said l reflector 4is .insertedfrom the :rear as will fbe evident. y

The .refiector Zhas `a central opening which receives a base or scylindrical socket .2.4 for asuitable lamp 25, or source of light. The cylindrical socket' and .the 'lamp may :be handled :as a' unit and :inserted part way through ,said openingyf-rom the rear. Said socket :'24 .has a flange 2-6 which .engages the Arear .of the 4reflector and limits the. insertion, and :said socket is provided also with-a plurality of spring fingerslshownfin Figs. aand 5, which permit the-same to ,snap into the opening and .resist withdrawal therefrom.

To withdraw the Lbase and the lamp `carried thereby when, `for example, it is necessary Yto replace vthe lamp, the operator swings the lease in any direction to rock it about .some .point of .oontact of the;flange :25 withY said reflector. Fig, `4 shows in dotted .lines the `normalzpositionof Vthe base `of the lamp, whereas the full line position shows Vthe unit swung .upwardly to disengage the spring fingers sufficiently to venable the base and the lamp :to `he Apulled completely out Lof :the A`openreassemblng the .structure `the reverse manipulation is followed, i. e. the lamp is inserted through the opening somewhat diagonally and then the base is swung into position with the flange 26 engaging the rim of the opening in the reflector. To effect this renewal of the lamp it will be understood, of course, that the housing is swung outwardly from the supporting cover so as to make the interior accessible from the rear, somewhat as shown .in Fig. 3. This method of renewal eliminates any risk of contact between the fingers of the operator and the polished surface of the reflector. Not only do finger marks disfigure the surface, but in time will result in tarnishing.

As shown also in Fig. 3 the conductor 28 from the lamp socket leads to the switch structure 29 whereby the circuit may be opened and closed by moving the conventional switch arm 30. The other conductor 3| leading from the switch eX- tends out through the opening |5 in the rear plate to the supply circuit and another conductor 32 therefrom is grounded at one of the clips 20. The conductors 3| and 32 are of ample length vto permit` then-lain housing `to be swung away fromithe cover -when renewing the lamp. When the lighting fixture is in normal position the' housing is closed and locked and the device.

as a whole comprises a sealed in unit.

Fig. 6 shows a modied structure intended as ing, a hinged connection between ysaidlsupporting plate and said housing, and means for mounting i .'said supporting plate to a wall whereby said A.housing may be swung open on its supporting an overhead fixture, although not necessarily limited to any particular position.

The mounting plate or base has a housing 36 hinged to it at 31 and provided with a locking screw 38. A switch 39 is mounted in the wallof the housing with'conductors connected in the same general manner as illustrated in Fig. 3, to the incandescent lamp VIl!) which iscarried Vby the socket 4|, the latter being removably vmounted in an opening in the reflector 42. The

details of construction of the socket 4| may be. the same as that illustrated in Figsl and 5. The transparent closure for the lower end 0f the lighting fixture is shown at 43, the circular end being preferably of clear glass and the cylindrical portion being frosted or otherwise translucent.

The surface of the reflector in this case also is inaccessible, the lamp being removed to` therear through the opening in the reflector when the housing is swung downwardly about its hinge.

VThis form of' the devicealso is a'sealed in construction. y

Although thexture shown in Fig. 5 is shown on a somewhat smaller scale than the one shown in Fig. 3, it will be understoodV that these may not` only be of the `same' diameter but many of -the parts may be interchangeable.V For example, the retaining ring |8 may be'formed in the same die which is used to form the housing 35. 'Il'he gaskets, reflectors and retaining clips may be identical in the two cases. The convex lens shown in Fig. 2 may be used also in the device of Fig.'6, and vice versa.

Various other changes, rearrangement of parts and changes in detailed construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the -invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

gagement with the edge of said reflector at saidV opening to maintain detachably said socket in operative position in said reflector, a supporting plateforminga closure for the rear of said housplateto permit access to the rear of said reflector and 'to permit disengagement of said socket from said reiiector for the insertion of a lamp bulb in said socket without damaging the reecting surface of said reflector.

2 A lighting fixture comprisinga housing in theform of a substantially cylindrical sheet metal member ,and having an inwardly directed'flange at'the'front end thereof forming'a bezel,` atrans parent panel disposed adjacent said bezel and Vforming a closure for the front of said housing, a reiiector having a flangeA positionedadjacent the periphery of said transparent panel, means `interlocking with said housing and engaging the flange of said reector to maintain said'reector and saidY transparent panel `in position against said bezel, to form a'sealed unit in the `from". end of said housing, said reflector being providedlwith an opening in the rear portion thereof,l`a'flafnp socket assembly including a lamp insertable-from ,the rear into said opening and Yprovided with a flange Vto limit its forward motion` and With'sping clips' which' engage the edge of saidrefle'ctor at said opening -to maintain detachably said socket inV a predetermined axial positionwith .respect to said reflector, a switch mounted in tha-interior of said housing andlhaving "anactuating arm extending outwardlythrough 'an opening in vsaid housing, a supporting plate forming a clesure for the rear of said.housinga hinged connection lbetween said supporting plate. and. said housing,V the. rear Vend ofsaid housing being shaped so that the longitudinal-axis of saidY cylindrical member is inclined with respect to said supporting plate lwhereby saidV reiiectcr and its associated parts are hingedly supported on an inclined axis, means j for nlounting said supporting plate to a wall, an opening in said supportingplate, and a exible conductorY extending from4 theinterior of saidhousing VthroughjsaidV openingfin said supporting plate to provide meansfoi-connecting said lamp to asupply line, said conductor being of suflicient length to permit the opening of said housing when it is desired tode- A tach said-socket for lamp changing purposes.V

CLIFFORD v. BATES.- 

